Update

Sorry.

I've been neglecting my blogs but have a good reason: I've been very, very busy with Elance and other writing clients.  One project turned into three (so far - there will be more) and another was a biggy, plus other things have come in that needed handling (more writing, but not via Elance).

I'm not complaining.  I am thriving: ecstatic, jazzed, juiced, crazy happy!  But that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking of you and feeling at least a little bit guilty. When ya have a blog, you're supposed to keep it up!  And I will, as I can.

I'm adding to the writing blog as I find time, too (http://kristinemsmith.wordpress.com). That one has to be more professional-sounding (as does my business and book site at http://kristinemsmith.biz), so it takes longer to create an entry. Y'all are my friends, so I can kind of hang loose here...

I'm now Skype-ified, but haven't used it yet.  My first Skype interaction will be soon, though, with Amie Flanagan. I promised her the first call. We need to connect before the interview she'll be having with me about De on Jan 20th, because we're both greenhorns with Skype and have to find out how to use it and see how well we can hear each other before we go live on the air that morning. Don't forget to tune in.  It'll be from 7 AM to 8 AM on www.ksuradio.com.

I'm also going to re-record my first De book onto MP3 format real soon. The first time I tried it, it worked OK -- but there was some white noise in the background. I didn't have a good set-up.  With this new noise-canceling headset, I should be able to create a truly professional-sounding audiobook.  For those of you who bought the first audiotaped book, I'll issue you a new one (free of charge) with my compliments.  (I know who you are; you don't need to remind me.)

I know, I know.  I'm being anal. I was told by everyone who bought the audiobook that they LOVED it, that the white noise was barely discernable and that after about a minute, they forgot it was there because they got so caught up in the story.  All well and good, but... I'm a "perfeshional," dagnab it, and I want what I offer to look and/or sound good.  So you're getting a better one as soon as I've got them to give, with my thanks...

Jackie is getting around better but still is not allowed to walk on her foot, so I've been shadowing her whenever she had had serious shopping to do so I can push her cart, park the vehicle, carry the packages,etc. 

When we can find one, she gets a motorized cart at the places we go, but in most cases, they are either out of power or in use, so she has to use her "knee-high skateboard" (for lack of a better description) to get herself around. That's a drag and wears her out. But she is getting a lot stronger -- yesterday I couldn't even keep up with her at Winco, she was scooting hither and yon so fast.  (If you've ever been in a car with her.. it's like that. She scares me sometimes!) 

The puppies are doing fine. They're so freakin' cute I can hardly stand it.  I have to take a beak every hour or so just to pick 'em up and moosh their little bodies... That's probably a good thing for my health; otherwise, I'd be glued to this chair -- NOT a good thing, and I can tell it's not when I don't get up and about enough.

What else?

I'm ghostwriting for a Tony Robbins affiliate -- lots and lots. I'll be writing a blog for another client soon, and writing a PR for him, and some other stuff, too.

Tomorrow I'm going to see THE BLIND SIDE with Mary Jo, unless she's booked to do something else.  I had to cancel last week's viewing.  We'll get 'er done this weekend.

Next weekend is another session of WRITER'S EDGE at CFAN. It has been two months since the last session because of the holidays. In April I'll be teaching on self-publishing, the pros and the cons. There are more pros than cons, in my opinion, though, chief among them is you keep all rights to your stuff and if you're a first time or unknown writer you'll get peanuts from a publisher and no help publicizing. All the work except binding and perhaps editing is on you, so why get a 5% return when you can get a lot more than that by doing it yourself and keeping all rights, instead of having to give away so many of them with a traditional publisher for so little reward?  If you're good, the big publishers will find you after you've self-publsihed, and then they'll have to give you a better deal if they come to you instead of you going to them, hat in hand, as a newbie.

I say Seize the Day and hold onto what you create unless someone offers you a pretty substantial percentage of what they'll be making on the deal!

That's my sermon for the day and it belongs on the other blog... but what the hey.